REMEMBER
by ilovecastlesoverymuch
Summary: It's just like any other crime scene, except it's not. Because this is Kate's apartment, the place so familiar to him now, Castle can almost still smell the Chinese they had shared a couple of nights ago right on this couch, now covered in shards of glass.
1. Chapter 1

_It feels so long since I last did a disclaimer I almost forgot but here we go... I do not own Castle or its characters blah blah blah._

It's just like any other crime scene, except it's not. Because this is Kate's apartment, the place so familiar to him now, Castle can almost still smell the Chinese they had shared a couple of nights ago right on this couch, now covered in shards of glass.

The room is silent; no one dares speak a word, unsure of what to say. They each look around the wrecked apartment then back to him, their faces full of pity. They're acting like she's dead, but there's no body, no signs of forced entry, just this trashed apartment and a few specs of blood in random places, leading towards the door.

That gives him hope; if they wanted to kill her they would have just done it and left them the body, right? So she's been what? Kidnapped?

Kidnapped. Maybe for information? Somewhere being tortured. The sick things they could be doing to her right now. He feels an intense wave of nausea take over, about the fifth since he found her apartment like this a couple of hours ago.

Sometimes he hates being a writer, the fact he can vividly map out the scene in front of him; her tied to a chair while they do despicable things to both her body, and her mind. He almost wishes they'd found a body if it means sparing her from the agonising suffering he sees happening in his mind.

But of course he could never wish that for her. He's selfish like that, could never life without her, whatever her it is he'll get back, because he will get her back. He promises that, always.

When she hadn't answered his calls this morning and he'd headed to the precinct to find she hadn't shown up for work he thought maybe she had overslept, however strange the idea was for Kate Beckett to do such a thing. But no matter what he had thought he would find when he entered her apartment, using the freshly cut key he had specifically neglected to tell her he had copied for such occasions, he hadn't expected this.

His thoughts are interrupted by a quiet sobbing; he turns to see Lanie cradled in Esposito's arms while he tells her that she shouldn't be here.

He's right though. There's no body and he's determined to keep it that way. Plus Lanie is way too close to work this, though then again so is he. But he doesn't care about that, Gates can do whatever she likes to try to get him off this case but he'll be there working it 24/7 until he finds her.

"Castle! Espo! Over here!"

Ryan's voice practically roars through the silent apartment and he doesn't think he's ever moved so quickly in his life.

They gather around the overturned television Ryan is pulling up to face them, he points to a stray disk laid out on the floor beside the DVD player, the word 'remember' spelt out in capital letters upon it. The TV doesn't seem to be too damaged so Ryan moves to insert the disk only to be halted by Rick's hand. This is something he feels he has to do.

The screen lights up with an image of a living room and suddenly there she is.

Kate.

She looks a lot younger, around ten years younger he would guess. Her eyes are bright and glowing as she speaks to whoever is behind the camera.

"Do you always have to carry that thing around, pointing it at me like that?" She half-heartedly pushes it away, covering the screen with her hand for half a second before her glorious smiling face is back.

"What can I say? The camera loves you." A male voice chuckles his reply and Rick feels his calm already slipping, the look she gives this man, this stranger to him. He counts himself lucky if he gets that look out of her once in a full moon.

"Yeah well the camera can love me another time. I'd like to speak with the cameraman _alone_." She gives the man a pointed look that must mean something to them and then there is slight clatter as the camera is being put down. "I said alone David, turn the camera off."

Her authoritative tone reminds him more of his modern Kate, scolding him for stealing some of her food when he has some perfectly good food he had ordered right in front of him, or touching and playing with the many things he would find on her desk at work.

"Okay, okay." The so called David replies.

The camera then switches off and he feels his breath catch. This can't be it? This can't be all he has to go on? But then it switches back on less than a second later as Kate's back is turned. Sneaky bastard.

"Okay so we need to go over some stuff about when we go back to the city." She begins firmly only to be interrupted the sound of a distant radio as David enters the image at long last.

He's tall, but he supposes that's always been her type. Longish but groomed brown hair bouncing slightly with every step he takes towards her, he's covered by a few layers but you can clearly see the definitions of a toned chest. It grinds at him, like he was hoping somehow he was going to be small and drippy or something. But of course how could she not end up with someone so good looking? She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever met.

"Or we could not?" David suggests, his voice full of mirth. He pulls Kate towards him, wraps his arms around her and begins to sway in time with the music.

"David-" She doesn't get to finish scolding him as he quickly twirls her outwards then back towards him in a flash. Her reprimanding tone replaced with a full laugh that turns to quiet giggles as they continue to dance slowly on the spot, time only succeeding in bringing them closer and closer until their faces are only a breath apart.

"I love you so much Kate." A whisper the camera just stretches to hear.

He thinks he's never seen a more intimate, romantic scene before in his life. Nothing he, nor any other author, could write would rival the simplicity of this moment. Two people just holding each other, in the middle of their living room, moving to the rhythm of a humble radio.

"I love you too you silly man." And if he thinks the smile she gave this man earlier was something, he doesn't know what to make of this one.

He begins to turn away, doesn't think he can stomach the sight anymore. She speaks the words so easily when she hasn't been able to speak them once to him. He hasn't blamed her, been happy to give her time, but that doesn't stop the crushing sensation in his heart.

"See I knew you married me for a reason."

And in a moment his eyes have snapped back to the screen, shock covering his features.

_So I'm back! Sorry for being away for so long and not finishing a single one of my stories! I've been having a hell of a year and going through a lot, I know that sounds excuse-y and all and I'm not trying to make them or anything I just want to explain and apologize I tried countless times to write more chapters for my other stories but other things kept coming along and messing with those plans but I had a wave of inspiration the other day and just wrote this and I feel in a better place now to write more and I hope I don't let you guys down again, I'm going to try to get back to my other stories too since they are all things I had such a plan for that I never got to pursue._

_Let me know what you think of this story and whether I should continue it or focus on the other stories (for those who may have read them a while ago). It would be lovely if you could leave a review, positive and negative responses are both welcome._


	2. Chapter 2

_I do not own Castle etc. (:_

...

_"See I knew you married me for a reason."_

_And in a moment his eyes have snapped back to the screen, shock covering his features._

_..._

"Married?" He hears Lanie shriek beside him, looks at them all for the first time since they began playing this thing. They seem to have gathered quite the crowd, eyes all transfixed on the television, confusion and surprise on everybody's faces. Then they all look to him again, and he can no longer take the scrutiny, turning back towards the television, toward Kate and her… husband.

"Oh no way, I married you for the money. Drat, I've given away my master plan." The couple laugh together before David's face turns mock serious.

"I knew that soup tasted peculiar, what did you lace it with? Cyanide!" They banter back and forth in such a way Rick thought only they could, that it was impossible that anybody else could read each other as easily as them, he hates to think he was wrong.

"Please I have some originality, cyanide is just so cliché." She sighs in pretend disappointment.

"Oh right, sorry, well at least I know my death will be creative."

They really are a married couple, Kate was _married_! Why didn't she tell him? How could she not tell him for that matter? Are they still married? Surely not if he's known her for five years and there's not even been a mention. So what happened to them?

They were meant to be in a relationship together, they agreed to no more secrets and she's been hiding the biggest secret of them all. She said she was a one and done kind of girl, so is she done now? If so what has she been doing with him? She'd told him she had never been married, why would she lie?

Sure at the beginning he probably wouldn't have told himself either, the way he had acted towards her, but things had changed in so many ways since them. He has so many questions, and the only person who can answer them is missing.

The woman he loves is missing, possibly kidnapped, and she's been keeping the fact she was married from him all these years. He doesn't think it could get any worse, until…

"Mommy!"

Gasps can be heard from all around the room, but he doesn't hear any of them, can't hear anything but this.

Out runs a tiny blonde boy with bright blue eyes, he looks to be around one to two years old as he runs towards Kate, jumping into her arms as she leans down to pick him up.

"Hey sweetie shouldn't you be in bed?" She kisses his forehead and hugs him close to her as David ruffles his curly blonde locks.

"Can't sleep." He sighs into his mother's shoulder.

"Oh baby, how about some hot chocolate?"

The motherly, caring tone sounds so foreign to his ears. Sure he had imagined what she would be like as a mother and he knew she'd be a great one, maybe even to his children one day, he had hoped. But seeing her now, a mother comforting her child. The love practically bursting out of her. This is a whole new Kate with more layers than any onion he's ever observed.

"Marshmarrows?" The boy shrieks excitedly.

"With marshmallows." She laughs, smiling down lovingly at him.

"And a story?" He asks hopefully, a big toothy grin adorning his features.

"_One _story, okay?"

"Yesss!"

"Come on then Alex, Mommy can get started on her special hot chocolate and we'll make a start with that story." David goes to take Alex only to be playfully pushed away by the kid.

"But Mommy tells best stories!"

Kate tries to stifle her laughter as David begins staggering backwards, clutching his heart in false pain, much to Alex's amusement.

"Rejected by my own son, my only child!" He's on the floor now, flailing around, gasping for air as if on his last breath.

"Alright enough of theatrics, I will go start the hot chocolate and be up in a little while to tell you that story."

She puts Alex down, watches as he immediately runs and jumps on his father.

"S'okay Dad, Mom doesn't do dinosaurs."

Suddenly David spurts back to life once again "Did someone say… DINOSAURS!" His exclamation echoes around the whole house and in a second he's up, hoisting Alex up high in the air making ridiculous roaring sounds reducing the boy to fits of giggles as he begins joining in with his father, the loud noise still heard in the distance once they've ascended the stairs.

Kate is about to enter what Rick can assume is the kitchen area, when she passes the camera and shakes her head.

"I should have known he hadn't turned it off." is the last thing that can be heard before the screen turns black.

No one speaks for what seems like hours but is probably really only minutes. Those long minutes of silence and uncertainty, hurt and confusion given away by all of their faces, the ones who had thought they'd known Kate Beckett.

He's surprised and almost proud to be the one who acts first, he may be feel completely lost, wounded and desperate for answers but it doesn't change the fact that Kate's still missing and they're wasting time gawking at this video. He takes the disc out of the DVD player and motions for one of the guys from CSU to bag it up as evidence, acutely aware that everyone's attention in the room is now focused on him.

"We should head back to the precinct and, once the disc has been checked for any fingerprints or DNA, see if we can find out any more on this David guy and figure out how long ago and where exactly the video was shot. Whatever happened to Beckett is linked to this disc; we work out the story behind the disc, we find her."

He thinks she'd be proud of him, taking command and giving people direction like this. It seems to work too as everyone begins busying themselves, Ryan and Esposito both talking on their phones trying to find out where the disc could have been bought and any background information on this supposed marriage. Everyone is suddenly so active, everyone but Lanie; she walks towards him slowly, her tears have stopped flowing by now but her eyes are still shining as if she's just fighting to keep them at bay. He knows how she feels as she rests her hand on his arm.

"There must be a good reason." Is all she says between sniffles before she turns around and leaves the apartment without another word, only a brief nod to Esposito before she exits.

He hopes so.

...

_I tried to update quickly so yeah some of you can be happy for that reason, if there are therefore any mistakes I apologize I have checked it over quickly so hopefully not though. _

_Thank you to all the favouriters, followers and those amazing reviewers I loved receiving them and would love some more if you have any thoughts on this chapter!_

_Just wanted to put a quick word out to those couple of people who told me I shouldn't continue this, I am going to because I know where I'm going with this story. I do accept and welcome negative criticism that's there to help me do better and improve my writing but making a judgment on where my story is going and saying it is wrong from the first, and quite a short-ish chapter, I can't accept as good criticism._

_I know these characters and their relationship trust me, the first chapter was meant to be just the shocking revelation, wait until the explanation please before you start making up your own and saying it doesn't fit the characters._

_Sorry to go all moody on you guys but I think it's important for people to realize reviews like that (though I can see they were written with good intention to ensure I don't waste my time on a story they don't believe is that strong, I know they weren't written harshly or anything and I'm thankful they still made a contribution to it and tried to help me) on the first chapter before you've even got into the story could really put someone off finishing something they believe in._


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